PRESS RELEASE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2004

1DESIGN.NET IS PROUND TO ANNOUNCE THE 2005 HARKEN BUOY SERIES

1Design.Net (www.1design.net) is very pleased to announce that Harken (www.Harken.com) has signed up as the primary sponsor for a new buoy racing series for 2005! The Harken Buoy Series for the Harken Cup will consists of 6 major buoy regattas in the State of Florida.

The Harken Buoy Series will complement the Endurance Distance Series that will finish its inaugural season this year.

The Harken Series is open to all one design and/or formula classes. Complete rules will be posted in the next couple months, but for a fleet to qualify, it must have a 5 boat fleet at 4 of the 6 series races. There is no registration necessary or no additional entry fee required other than the standard regatta entry fees.

So NOW is the time for your fleet to get together and start planning to attend. Based on past years, A-Cat, Hobie Wave, Hobie 14, Hobie 16, F-16, and I20 should all be able to qualify. 1Design.Net will be happy to provide links on its site for any one design and/or formula class website to help promote your class. Contact 1Design.Net for more information.

The regattas for the Harken Cup were selected based upon event history, location and scheduling concerns so that the series does not conflict with the Endurance Series.

The 2005 Harken Buoys series regattas are:

January: Tradewinds - Key Largo
June: JPOR - Cape Canaveral
July: Summer Sizzler - Daytona Beach
August: Summer Sizzler - Jacksonville
Sept: Wildcat - Eustis
Nov: Carlisle Classic - Clearwater

A downloadable and printable schedule of the complete 2005 Florida Catamaran Racing Series (The Endurance Cup and The Harken Cup) including dates, events and locations can be found at:

http://1design.net/downloads/schedule_2005.pdf

A perpetual cup will be created and series trophies will be presented at the end of the year, three deep in each qualifying class.

This is an exciting time for catamaran sailing! Good luck and see you on the water!!

Excellent news! Who do we have to thank for organizing Harken- the I20 fleet? If so, way to go!

Dave,

Pretty much everyone who contributes to 1Design.Net has helped in one way or another to build the site to a point where we could get the sponsors we have, Harken, Endurance Sails, Rockledge Boating Center, and Cyberspeed.

At Area D's last weekend there was a lot of excitement about this new Buoys series!

Brian

We need a fleet of 5 for the Harken Series. And I know we should have around 7 boats, but you have to register. Please do not procrastinate.

Preregister for the Harken Series Now at www.catsailor.com/registration

Rick
Thanks,
Rick

Rick,

We are incorporating the dates for the Harken Bouy Series into our schedule for the year. We have volunteered to chair the Junior Program at our club again this year. We are looking forward to bringing Zach and maybe another Wave or some other boat for Jennifer and I to sail.

Will be able to register for the series overall? Or do we have to wait until each race?

C'Ya on the water.

Sam Grant

Sam,

There is no seperate registration, no seperate fee, for the series. If you participate you will be automatically scored. You need to sail in your class in 4 of the 6 series regattas to qualify.

The rules, schedules, points, etc for both the Harken Bouy Series and the Endurance Sails Distance Series are posted on the host website, www.1design.net

I have not added the Tradewinds results yet, but will do so in a few days.

Let me know if you have any other questions,
Brian Karr

Brian,

Thanks for the response.

One more question...what 2-person cat would you recommend for a couple to bring? We have access to an H-16. Do you anticipate a good showing for the 16?

These boats had a fleet (5 boats) at Tradewinds which was the first race of the series.

Hobie Wave
Hobie 16
Formula 18
Inter 20

These are the stong classes and are your best bet. The F16 may also be getting a class in the future, especially with the Blade coming out. I dont know if the A-cats are going to participate or not.

BTW, I will have the points from Tradewinds up soon on the host website, www.1design.net We have had some server issues the past few weeks but they are resolved now.

Brian Karr

????